1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand-held toy. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hand-held toy for lighting when spun.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for toys and the like have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A first example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,679 to Grubb et al. teaches an infant""s toy with a hollow ball having openings disposed about its surface and having a freely movable insert trapped within the hollow ball, said insert provided with a pair of pivotally connected stems with a cage structure disposed at the end of each stem, each cage structure containing at least one loosely confined ball. The cage structures are readily movable in and out of the openings of the hollow ball but the insert is restrained from being removed from the hollow ball.
A second example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,387 to Swenson teaches a rattle for an infant wherein the noise making device within the rattle also is a light activation device to momentarily light, in sequence, a plurality of lights mounted on the rattle. The noise-making is made of magnetic material and is moved back and forth in a tube within the rattle so as to activate reed switches adjacent to the tube thereby sequentially illuminating the lights. The device is powered by batteries mounted in a handle on the rattle.
A third example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,535 to Aragon Jr. teaches a baby rattle that is made up of a light-transparent shell, a light source in the interior of the shell, an impact or motion-sensing member within the shell will generate an electrical signal to activate a control circuit between the light source and a portable power source to illuminate the shell. The impact motion-sensing member is preferably a piezoelectric crystal mounted within the shell, and a fiber optic array within the shell can be used in association with a light source to create different lighted displays.
A fourth example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,782 to Jensen et al. teaches a baby rattle comprising two rattle portions and an elongated elastic spacer element which connects the two rattle portions, wherein the two rattle portions have mutually complementary coupling portions which allow the two rattle portions to be coupled to each other, and wherein the weight of the two rattle portions and the rigidity of the elastic spacer element are adjusted relative to each other so that the elastic spacer element, like a column, may in itself support the one rattle portion when the elastic spacer element is maintained substantially vertically upright relative to the second rattle portion and wherein the mutually complementary coupling portions possess sufficient coupling force to keep the two rattle portions together despite the force applied from the elongated elastic spacer element by coupling of the rattle portions. Hereby a baby rattle is provided which makes many play options available by use of only a few constituents.
A fifth example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,576 to Colon Jr. teaches a light sword toy comprising a tube having a proximal end and a distal end, and a light source located at the proximal end of the tube. The light source directs light into the tube toward the distal end. The tube is made of a translucent material which glows when the light source is activated. A ball is contained within the tube, and is capable of moving between the proximal end and distal end thereof. When the ball is initially at the proximal end, it blocks nearly all of the light from the light source from reaching the distal end. When the ball is subsequently rolled toward the distal end, the illumination appears to travel toward the distal end. A ball retaining mechanism is located at the distal end for holding the ball at the distal end until the end of play. Then the ball is releasable by the user to restore the ball to the proximal end of the tube.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for toys and the like have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a hand-held toy for lighting when spun that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand-held toy for lighting when spun that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hand-held toy for lighting when spun that is simple to use.
Briefly stated, still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hand-held toy that lights when spun, and which includes a rod, a head attached thereto, and spins with, the rod, a light source illuminates with movement of, the head, while the apparatus associated with the light source, is grasped by the hands of a user. The head is either spherically-shaped or a pair of stacked disks. The light source includes a plurality of bulbs that are disposed on the head, a pair of battery interfaces that are in electrical communication with the plurality of bulbs and hold, and electrically communicate with, a pair of batteries, and a centrifugal switch that is electrical communication with the plurality of bulbs, and which closes when the head is spun, and when closed, illuminates the plurality of bulbs so as to allow the plurality of bulbs to illuminate when the head is spun. The apparatus includes a shell that rotatably receives the rod, and which is grasped by one hand of the user, a pull cord that winds around the rod and has a handle that is grasped by the other hand of the user, and when the shell is grasped by the one hand of the user, and the handle is grasped and pulled by the other hand of the user, the pull cord unwinds from the rod, which causes the rod to spin, which causes the head to spin, and which causes the light source to illuminate.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.